Apparatus for preventing pulsations in a flowing fluid

Abstract

Pulsations in a pressurized fluid flowing through a conduit pipe is prevented by changing the inner volume of the pipe by changing the cross-sectional area of a flexible pipe portion in dependence upon the pressure of the flowing fluid without changing the peripheral length of the cross-section of the pipe portion thereby absorbing any pressure changes. For this purpose the apparatus comprises a tube or a hollow substantially spherical body having flexibility in at least one cross-section thereof, and a member operating as an elastic body for resiliently regulating the cross-sectional area of the inner bore of the tube or the substantially spherical body to a cross-sectional area less than the maximum cross-sectional area thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for preventing pulsations in a flowing fluid, comprising: a tube having at least a portion thereof which is flexible, said flexible portion having a flexible wall with a first flexural ability in a circumferential direction of the wall as viewed in a transverse cross section of the tube, and a second flexural ability in a radial direction of the wall, said second flexural ability being substantially greater than the first flexural ability, said tube transporting the flowing fluid so that a cross-sectional area of the flexible portion changes in response to a change in a pressure of the flowing fluid, and so that a circumferential length of said tube wall does not change in response to the change in the pressure of the flowing fluid; and   a pair of flexible sheets, disposed so as to sandwich the at least flexible portion, for applying respective reaction forces so as to restore the cross-sectional area of the flexible portion to that cross-sectional area which existed before the change in pressure of the flowing fluid.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said flexible sheets are formed from PVC. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pair of flexible sheets are fixedly secured to each other along both side ends thereof, and disposed so as to sandwich the at least flexible portion, said sheets constituting a sole means for applying respective reaction forces. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the flowing fluid is pressurized, and wherein the cross-sectional area of the at least flexible tube portion increases in response to an increase in pressure of the pressurized flowing fluid. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said flexible wall has been preformed to a shape having a reduced cross-sectional area when the pressure of the fluid is not applied. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said preformed flexible wall has an elliptic shape in its cross-section. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said flexible wall extends along the flow of the fluid. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said flexible wall forms a tube portion connected in a pipe system. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pair of sheets are secured to each other along both side ends thereof. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sheets are sheet springs. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said flexible wall is formed of polyfluoroethylene. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said flexible wall is formed of polyethylene. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said flexible wall is formed of a composite sheet material comprising an inside layer of polyfluoroethylene and an outside layer of EPT rubber. 
     
     
       14. An apparatus for preventing pulsations in a flowing fluid, comprising: a tube having at least a portion thereof which is flexible, said tube transporting the flowing fluid so that a cross-sectional area of the flexible portion changes in response to a change in a pressure of the flowing fluid; and   a pair of flexible sheets, disposed so as to sandwich the at least flexible portion, for applying respective reaction forces so as to restore the cross-sectional area of the flexible portion to that cross-sectional area which existed before the change in pressure of the flowing fluid;   wherein said pair of sheets are secured to each other along both sides thereof, and wherein said sheets are secured to each other with spacers interposed between the sheets.